Quite a while ago, I prepared this recipe for the first time. This is only the second time. I'm not sure why I didn't make it sooner because the chicken was in a word, delicious. While it may be pricey to go out and get each and every ingredient (saffron in particular), it's worth doing. The nuance of each spice on the tongue is pleasant without being overwhelming. While the yogurt in the ingredient list seems it would be overbearing, it is a perfect vehicle for each flavor to marry.
Last time I followed the recipe exactly; this time I used only thighs. And instead of trying to use only 1 tablespoon of boiling water, I went ahead and used 1/4 cup.
recipe adapted from Dave Lebovitz
1/4 tsp saffron threads
1/4 c boiling water
8 skinless chicken thighs
3/4 tsp coarse salt
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 to 1 1/2 tsp chili powder, depending on how hot you want it
10 turns fresh ground black pepper
1 c Greek whole-milk plain yogurt
juice of one fresh lime
1 tbsp finely-minced fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely minced
Soak the saffron in the boiling water for five minutes.Meanwhile, with a sharp knife, score the chicken flesh deeply, each piece slashed three times.
Add all ingredients but chicken to a large zip-top freezer bag including saffron (and water). Express out most of the air, then seal the top. Massage the bag to mix the ingredients.
Add chicken, coat the pieces, express the air and seal. Refrigerate the chicken overnight, cutting the Zip of the Ziploc completely from the bag if necessary up on time to cook.
In batches, remove the chicken pieces from the marinade and fry the pieces with the thick marinade clinging to them, in a hot oiled grill pan until dark on one side. Flip and fry until darkened on the other side.
Slip a knife in the meat and make sure the chicken is cooked through. If not, add a bit of water to the pan to loosen any caramelized bits, and place in a 350°F (180C) oven for about 10 minutes, or until cooked through.
Yep, the chicken is superb! Unlike last time when we ate only the chicken, this time I prepared some rice and asparagus. Each side worked well as neither was overbearing, allowing the chicken flavors to really shine.
Cost:
- saffron: $3
- chicken thighs: $3.60
- yogurt: $1/8 oz
- lime: 0.26
Tandoori Chicken, steamed asparagus and saffron rice is for dinner.
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